Wednesday, January 25, 2012

This year I intend completing a BOM or two. Working on one block a month is not too difficult if I keep up to date; and I have every intention of doing that.

Promises and borders promises to be a little different, and with a particular recipient in mind for this quilt, the incentive to stitch is not difficult. Jenny of ELEFANTZ selected her lovely preferred fabric, one of which I was able to source. However I am satisfied with my complimentary choices and enjoyed stitching the first block.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

For some untold reason visits to a certain craft store mean that fabrics fall into my shopping trolley. [These trolleys line up in anticipation outside the store door; all that is required is that the shopper uses a $2 to unlock the holding chain ... a $2 coin is always available in the little purse that lives in the depths of my handbag.]

Of course these essential purchases multiply; after all some fabrics are chosen for their delightful colour/pattern with no particular project in mind. Frequently when a project does present itself the 'stash' of fabric simply does not extend to the particular colour necessary for its completion, which in turn means another trip to the store.

Over a period of two, or is it three, years my fabric stash has grown ... almost faster than a mushroom farm. The number of plastic boxes required to accommodate this material began to take over the space in our small home. A solution was required, but what?

Yesterday we attended two garage sales. The first had nothing of particular interest on the tables though we did manage to spend the princely sum of 60c on three items; a CD holder, a leather wallet and an ice bucket, none of which we needed but thought might come in handy one day.

Garage sale number two yielded a real treasure. Lined up against the wall were several large pieces of furniture: a huge metal filing cabinet that would have easily graced the wall of a modern office, a wardrobe with drawers beneath ... painted white with garish blue trim, a couple of sets of drawers, and at the end stood what at first glance looked like a two-door wardrobe. I opened the doors and instead of a rail for hangers it sported rows of shelves. Mmmm ... I wonder? I looked around at what else was on offer ... a huge bundle of books by an author I have never heard of, and by the speed the stack was going down no one else had either, a microwave ... we have a perfectly good one, a wok, and other interesting kitchen equipment with reasonable price stickers attached.

The cupboard with the shelves still beckoned. I wandered back again and Significant Other, noticing my attraction helped with the sales talk! [He likes buying from garage sales ... hence the three not really needed items at the previous one.] I decided! A deal was made and S.O. brought the vehicle closer to enable easy loading.

Once home we manouvered the cupboards into place [not easy on a hot morning when the temperature already sat above 30°C and rising]. Several hours later all the fabric and other bits and pieces essential to anyone seriously engaged in using fabric were transferred. Empty plastic containers now need a new home!

There is one downside to this tale. Already the cupboard is full [one could almost say overflowing] which makes the immediate purchase of more absolutely essential fabric null and void!

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Block 5 of Sentimental Journey, 'Somewhere My Love' proved to be a tad taxing. Perhaps if I hadn't been tired it would have come together easier. Matching the points on the hearts and the centre block provided a few moments of frustration, but in the end I managed to place 3 out of 4 correctly. The fourth? I just left it as 'backward sewing' may have proved impossible, or at least a large part would have needed re-doing.

This quilt is coming along nicely, and when laid all out side by side, the result is rather pleasing.

Monday, January 2, 2012

Recently I put my name down for a doll swap in our Craft Forum, but as closing time draw closer I developed cold feet. My doll making belonged to the past when I made dolls for school raffles, dolls that were cut out in two pieces, back and front. A 'proper' doll I hadn't tackled. I withdrew from that swap.

However as the excitment of Christmas passed and time began to hang heavily on my hands [isn't housework all up to date for Christmas?] and I had discovered a lovely pattern in the latest Homespun magazine I decided to tackle a doll.

The doll in the magazine was named Shelly ... she had long plaited hair, and wore a shell necklace. Mmmmm ... not really what I wanted, but the pattern was intriguing. I traced the pattern, cut the pieces out and started from there. The days were hot; enthusiasm waned, but in the cool of the evening I sewed.

The head wasn't difficult ... don't ask about joining the head to the body! Had the instructions been followed attaching the head would have been easier. I have a bad habit of thinking I know, when I don't!

Shelly's face in the pattern didn't come up to my specifications either. [Yes, I know, but in my mind a pattern is a pattern; to be altered, added, or adhered to, or reconstructed to another's specifications.] Out came the Prisma pencils and a face slowly came to life. Don't you like the freckles?!

[oops ... the knitting needle I pushed up her back to get her to stand straight is showing ... ignore it. I wanted to show her lovely scuffs/shoes!]

As this doll has short red hair [that feather wool is wonderful ... I simply threaded a short length through a large-eyed needle, pulled it through once and tied a half knot]; she has been named Catriona ... a good Scottish name for a red-head.

She left gathering shells on the magazine page. A bag with knitting and a magazine, plus a quilt-cum-swag roll completed the essentials she needs for her move south.